Fiber



Patented Dec. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIBER No Drawing.

1937, Serial No. 158,822.

Original application August 12,

Divided and this application May 19, 1938, Serial No. 208,828

3Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 G. 757) 158,822, now Patent No. 2,140,274.

We hereby dedicate the invention herein described to the free use of the People of the United States of America to take efl'ect on the granting of a patent to us.

Our invention deals with fibers made from casein.

The objects of our invention are to produce dispersions of casein, which can be extruded into fibers having the requisite characteristics of strength, water resistance, flexibility, and softness necessary to make them suitable for use in textiles, and are valuable as substitutes for W001 and other fibers.

In forming dispersions suitable for extrusions, the casein is dissolved or dispersed in a solution of some protein solvent. Plasticizers and salts for increasing the strength and water-resistance,

may be incorporated in the dispersion. The salts added react with the casein to form salts of casein in the fiber.

Plasticizers of the type glycol phthalate, ethyl glycollate, butyl stearate or butyl tartrate, which are ordinarily incompatible with the casein solution can be made compatible by the use of triethanolamine which serves as a mutual solvent for the casein and plasticizer.

Sodium abietate may be used as a hardening and water-repelling agent.

The following example is given to illustrate some oi the preferred procedures for producing our fibers. Proportions are given in parts.

Example 1 Casein 24 Water 198 Ethyl glycnllate 5 Triethanolamine 6 5 10% CaClaHaO solution 7 Temperature of the solution was C. Th dispersion was extruded into a precipitating bath heated at the same temperature. The bath composition was: Sulfuric acid-2 pts.; iormaldel0 hyde-5; glucose-10; water-83. However, other bath compositions may be used.

It will be understood that our invention is not restricted to the example given, as proportions, constituents, and substitutes may be varied over 15 a wide range. For example, various protein solvents may be used; and in place of the precipitating acids listed, other acids, such as oxalic, may be employed.

Having thus described our invention, what we 20 claim for Letters Patent is:;

1. As an article of manufacture, a fiber comprising oasein, salts of casein, and an ordinarily insoluble plasticizer selected from the group consisting of compounds of the type of glycol 25 phthalate, ethyl glycollate, and butyl tartrate, which have been rendered compatible with the casein by means of an organic amine.

2. As an article of manufacture, a fiber comprising casein, salts of casein, and an ordinarily 30 insoluble plasticizer selected from the group consisting of compounds of the type of glycol phthalate, ethyl glycollate, and butyl tartrate, which have been rendered compatible with the casein by means of an alcohol amine.

3. As an article of manufacture, a fiber comprising casein, salts of casein, and an ordinarily insoluble plasticizer selected from the group consisting of compounds of the type of glycol phthalate, ethyl glycollate, and butyl tartrate, which have been rendered compatible with the casein by means of triethanolamine.

EARLE O. WHI'ITIER. STEPHEN P. GOULD. 

